Van Meter 28 Dyersville Beckman 7 @BeckmanCatholic @VanMeterDawgs @VMFootball_@IHSAA

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David Burnworth | November 23, 2021

This was one of those games that never left any doubt about who the better team was, that being powerful Van Meter. What the score won’t tell you is what a never quit keep your head up attitude Beckman showed in the loss. Both teams from my eyes seemed to play clean, hard and show amazing sportsmanship throughout the contest. This was a typical show put on by Iowa teams with the fundamentals of football put on display along with what I mentioned earlier. For me, these are what separates Iowa high school football from most of the other states I take games in at, with the possible exception of Minnesota, where one will see the same type of football and sportsmanship.

Jack Pettit would have been able to pick up a chunk of yards if not for the ankle tackle by Oakley Harbaugh less than a minute into this one. The Van Meter drive ended soon afterward. Ben Gilliland would blow up Evan Domeyer for a 4-yard loss letting everyone know that the Van Meter defense was as ready as their counterpart. A punt from Beckman soon followed the 4-yard loss Chris Schreck would field the punt and go 45-yards for the games first score, after Katie Lindsay nailed her point after kick the Bulldogs had a 7-0 lead, with 7:25 showing on the first-quarter clock.

The Bulldogs defense would recover a fumble, convert a fourth and three when Pettit connected with Schreck to move the chains. Dalten Van Pelt would race in from 19-yards out after Lindsay made good on the point after kick the Bulldogs led 14-0, with 4:03 left in the quarter. Van Pelt is going to make some college coach happy if he chooses to play football at the next level.

Cayden Gassmann would hook up with Connor Grover for a much-needed 53-yard gain on a pretty catch and run. Later on, the drive facing a fourth and three Gassmann found Max Mullis for a 13-yard touchdown. Logan Burchard was true on the point after kick to give us a 14-7 game, with 1:44 left in the half. Gassmann would only hit 8-17 passes on the night but he did show he could sling the ball when he had any time at all. The Bulldogs defense was tough as ever and make every one of the 107-yards the Trailblazers gained through the air a tough one.

Van Pelt would run over a Trailblazer would-be tackler on his way to a nice 33-yard gain right before the half came to an end. At this point of the game with the game so close, I believe both teams knew how important the third quarter was going to be. On one hand, the Trailblazers had to believe they were truly in this game, while maybe Van Meter was thinking we need to come out and hit them hard and fast with a score or two and put this game away.

The Bulldogs wasted no time in showing the nice size crowd in the dome that they were going to be the team to take control with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Pettit TO Ganon Archer. Lindsay again hit the point-after kick to increase the lead to 21-7, with 10:13 left in the quarter.

The Trailblazers defense would get a nice play from Jason Koopmann who got to Van Pelt for a short loss., with a little over six minutes left in the quarter. The Bulldogs offense would slowly regain control of things after neither offense had done much since the last score. With just thirty-three seconds left in the quarter, Pettit found  Ganon Archer for the games last touchdown. The last point of the game came off of the foot of Lindsay to give us a 28-7 game.

Rushes-yards: Beckman 39-149, VM 45-271

Passing yards: Beckman 107, VM 52

Passing: Beckman 8-17-0, VM 5-10-0

Total yards: Beckman 256, VM 323

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